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CARiD Article: When it’s time to get rid of your old car?
When your beater car needs repairs, it’s not always easy to decide whether to fix it or get rid of it. Our technical writer Sean takes a look at factors that are worth considering.
Of course, sooner or later any beater car will need repair for problems that can’t be ignored. This thought is always in the back of your mind as you wonder what your breaking point for the car will be when it comes to repair expenses. When will it make more sense to cut losses and sell or even scrap instead of fixing it?
In the case of the HHR, value is far outweighed by replacing it. Today these trucklets are getting harder and harder to find, and low mileage means a high price.
So, repair or replace is something that requires consideration, as most repairs are still less than the taxes on a new car!
Most HHR’s are sold or sadly scrapped because of the owners abilities to repair it. Hourly labour rates are very expensive.
When you stop enjoying it's presence. By the time I'm done with modding and painting etc it's time to get an engine and transmission ready. I can't see the coolness of the HHR fading. It's not some faceless econobox. I had the WC-HHR 53 concept in my head when I bought the car. Ford Focus, Neon, Cobalt etc don't have the actual cult status of the HHR. If I find a good deal on a white Panel I would have to do the Galileo Shuttlecraft with sidepipe engine nacels. The Full Retard has only begun!!! I might even find a small 4x4 to fit under this at some point just for giggles. A V6 S10 4.3 4x4 with the frame shortened to match the wheelbase. I could cut it down the middle and widen the whole thing for a roomier interior, I could even high top it. I'm retired with 40+ years of metalworking experience and accumulated tools.
I've always lived by the cost of repairs vs. the increased costs of another vehicle. (i.e. payment, taxes, license, insurance etc.)
When repairing SISU becomes more than a car payment then I will consider purchasing another vehicle.
As stated in an earlier post, there is the cool factor that can't be beat.
And dogonit they are just plain fun to work on.
Last edited by Lonwane; Apr 29, 2022 at 08:21 AM.
Reason: spelling
When repair is impractical it's time to modify if it's a vehicle you love. It's like my KLR 650. I'm waiting for the engine to give me an excuse to replace it with something more interesting. I'm thinking about finding a junkyard drivetrain for the HHR and building with the best available parts and hooking up nitrous or something. Or I could swap the body onto a compact 4x4 frame for giggles.
When repair is impractical it's time to modify if it's a vehicle you love. It's like my KLR 650. I'm waiting for the engine to give me an excuse to replace it with something more interesting. I'm thinking about finding a junkyard drivetrain for the HHR and building with the best available parts and hooking up nitrous or something. Or I could swap the body onto a compact 4x4 frame for giggles.
